Cloud is a viable tool for disaster recovery and business continuity

Mansi Thapar
IT Leader, Head - Information Security, Jaquar Group

“Besides keeping critical data, applications and processes secure and the network running 24 x 7, modern IT departments are under constant pressure to implement new technologies that enable the business.

A viable tool for disaster recovery and business continuity is the cloud. Because cloud computing relies heavily on hardware-independent virtualization technology, it enables enterprises to quickly back up data, applications, and even operating systems to a remote data center (or cloud). Faster uploads and downloads of important computing elements naturally translate into faster recovery times for the business.

Cloud based business continuity has made achieving operational resiliency easier, faster and more economical. Organizations now have the luxury of tackling downtime – the bane of any business that can stall production and impact revenue – seamlessly. And the benefits for organizations who take business continuity to the cloud are immense.

Availability, easy restoration and back-ups, anytime / anywhere and cost effectiveness has paved the way for cloud acceptance for business continuity planning in various organisations

If an organisation has a hybrid cloud they have to deal with security. Whether it is pairing private and public cloud or running a complex, multi-cloud architecture, security is one of those areas where organisations can throw a lot of technology at the problem without getting results. What is needed is the precise mix of strategy and planning, followed by technology selection. Also, a key component in the mix is a single security toolset that covers public, private, and on-premises systems.

It requires organisation hybrid cloud owners to think differently and holistically. First and foremost organisations need to start by understanding their own requirements and unique needs and not move in the same direction as peers. The organisation need to understand the market vertical they are in including any regulatory and legal compliances which need to be adhered to, clear idea of systems which need to be secure ie private, public and legacy systems, internal and external SLAs and security usecases.

Second most important thing where hybrid cloud is concerned is being proactive about security and make sure existing/legacy systems are also included in the same security umbrella
Thirdly leverage tools that are designed to secure diverse, distributed platforms. Systems like IAM, encryption, governance, compliance, usage based accounting, orchestration systems, security monitoring etc.”